KSA to host 1,300 Hajj pilgrims from 90 countries

The First Group of Senegal pilgrims arrived in Makkah. (SPA)

Pilgrims praised efforts by the Saudi government to serve and to facilitate Hajj. (SPA)

• Supreme Court calls on residents to look out for crescent moon on Sunday
• Saudi Islamic Affairs Minister Sheikh Abdullatif Al-Asheikh, said that the annual program reflects the Kingdom’s efforts to serve Muslims and deepen its relations with other Islamic countries

JEDDAH: King Salman issued a directive on Saturday that the Kingdom will host 1,300 Hajj pilgrims from more than 90 countries this year.
The pilgrims will be hosted as part of the Guests of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ Program for Hajj and Umrah, which covers the pilgrimage expenses of selected participants.
Saudi Islamic Affairs Minister Sheikh Abdullatif Al-Asheikh, said that the annual program, of which he is the general supervisor, reflects the Kingdom’s efforts to serve Muslims and deepen its relations with other Islamic countries.
“The generous program, rolled out every year at the expense of the Saudi government, enables thousands of Muslims from all over the world to perform Hajj within an organized system that offers top-class services,” said Al-Asheikh, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The ministry is coordinating with Saudi embassies and religious attaches abroad to select participants, facilitate visa procedures, and supervise the pilgrims’ journey from their point of departure to the completion of Hajj.
Earlier this month, King Salman issued a directive for the Kingdom to host 1,000 Palestinian pilgrims for this year’s Hajj.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has called on Muslims throughout Saudi Arabia to be on the lookout for the crescent moon at sunset on the 29th day of Dul Qaada, which falls on June 18. The crescent moon will signal the start of the month of Dul Hijjah. The court urged anyone who sights it to report to the nearest court.
The General Directorate of Civil Defense has intensified its inspections of pilgrims’ residences in Makkah. It conducted a thorough examination of elevators and escalators and verified emergency exit doors and the availability of secure gathering points outside the facilities to ensure the highest possible safety levels, according to the SPA.
Meanwhile, the first group of pilgrims from Senegal — 554 in total — have arrived in Makkah from Madinah and were received by a Hajj service provider for non-Arab Africans. Officials from the Senegalese Hajj Affairs Office expressed their appreciation to the Saudi government for the facilities provided to the pilgrims.
Omar Ahmed, a pilgrim from Egypt, told the SPA that the Kingdom does its best to serve Islam and Muslims and provide care for visitors to Makkah and Madinah.
Abbas Abdel Nour, a pilgrim from Algeria, also hailed the care and services provided to pilgrims.
The General Administration of Statistics, operating under the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, has increased its efforts to measure the satisfaction of visitors and pilgrims at the Grand Mosque via QR codes available in six languages at five stations.
Furthermore, the General Directorate of Health Affairs in the Al-Jouf region has announced that it will once again provide field teams during Hajj at Abu Ajram Center, one of the 14 points of entry to the Kingdom for pilgrims.
According to the Ministry of Health, these field teams have already provided health services to 5,314 pilgrims, including medical exams, vital-sign measurements, ambulatory services, transportation for elderly and sick individuals, dental treatment, X-rays, and the provision of medication.